Posted in Hiding His Word

Dying Words

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

images

(Although I took a break from posting and working on the blog during the 40 days of prayer and fasting leading to Easter, I did write this article at the end of March for our April church bulletin. I pray it blesses you)

Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” ~ Luke 23:34

We know words are powerful and especially dying words. As we go through this Easter season, it is important to remember what Jesus said right before His earthly life ended. Some of His last words, while hanging from the cross, were words of mercy and forgiveness.

Today I want to ask you this – if Jesus Christ could offer a prayer of forgiveness while on the cross for those who were putting Him to death, those who beat Him, those who betrayed Him can you pray a prayer of mercy and forgiveness for those in your life who have hurt or angered you? Despite what you have been through or may be going through today, can you look past it all and extend forgiveness?

Jesus’ last words and His willingness to die on the cross are a powerful example of how you and I are to treat others. We are called to follow His perfect example in every area of our lives. We are called to speak forgiveness and follow through with extending mercy to others whether we feel they deserve it or not. We sure didn’t deserve to be forgiven all our sins, yet Jesus forgave.

The Holy Ghost has challenged me, and I challenge you today to pick up your cross and follow Jesus! Each Easter we remember His death, and we celebrate His resurrection. We remember that He died so we can be forgiven, but He also died that we can now walk in forgiveness toward others.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:32

Posted in Hiding His Word

Leviticus on Leprosy

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

Leviticus 13 recounts God’s laws concerning leprosy. Leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease is a need dear to my heart.

Let me explain … While God has allowed me to go to Africa twice to work alongside and support the vision of other ministries, my earliest prayer to go to Africa was because I desired to go love and minister to those trapped by the bondages that come with Hansen’s.

The door has not opened in that area and it has been so long ago that I prayed those prayers. There is a tendency to think we have missed it. There is a tendency to just quit talking about it. In fact most of you don’t know this about me…but now you do. And you should know also that deep in my heart I do still believe, in God’s timing, I will be involved in some way in this very specific Gospel work. We do tend to forget…but God…He reminds me every single 2/22 when we come to this passage!!!

Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease

Tens of thousands of people in our world still suffer from leprosy. This bacterial infection not only affects the skin and destroys nerves, but it also brings incredible, unbearable shame for many who get sick.

Because the disease affects the nervous system, the areas of a person’s body affected with leprosy become numb to many things that ordinarily cause pain. When people suffering from leprosy no longer feel pain, they easily injure themselves. These injuries can become infected, resulting in tissue loss. Ultimately, people with leprosy can lose portions of their fingers, toes and even limbs.

The social stigma can be devastating—perhaps even worse than the disease itself. In their time of need, men, women and even children may be expelled from their homes and shunned by their community when leprosy is discovered on their bodies. Sometimes even those that do not have this disease are ostracized and required to live separated because a member of their family is diagnosed.

Leprosy can be cured without permanent damage if medical help is sought immediately. Unfortunately, the shame and social stigma surrounding the disease can cause leprosy to be viewed not as a curable disease but as a curse. In remote places and among the poor, diagnosis and treatment often come too late.

It is found in parts of Angola, Brazil, India, Mozambique, Nepal, and Tanzania and is still prevalent in some countries such as Madagascar, Nigeria, DR Congo, South Sudan and Burkina Faso.

Look at the Pictures

I highly suggest that you google “leprosy” and look through some of the images to see the effects of this disease that we read about today in scripture. It will give you a picture of not only of the potential affects of the diagnosis but also why precautions that seem so harsh to those of us in the modern western world had to be made in Bible times to prevent the disease from spreading.

Read the Scriptures

Once you have seen the pictures and read in Leviticus 13 the laws regarding leprosy suddenly scriptures like Matthew 8:1-4 really stand out and come to life. At least it did for me…

“When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”

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Posted in Hiding His Word

Do You Ever Tremble?

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. ~ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:2‬ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

To whom will God look?

• The poor.

• The one that is of a contrite spirit.

Contrite – having sincere remorse; filled with a sense of guilt and desire for atonement

• The one that trembles at His Word!!!

Tremble – to shake involuntarily with quick, short movements, as from fear, excitement, weakness, or cold; quake; quiver. To be troubled with fear or apprehension.

This verse of scripture has been on my heart for a while. It makes me wonder when was the last time we trembled? When was the last time I truly trembled — at His Word?